Ind vs SL: Zaheer Khan strikes early to remove Tharanga

NEW DELHI: Seasoned seamer Zaheer Khan struck early to give India first breakthrough as he dismissed Lankan opener Upul Tharanga in the second one-day international of the tri-series at the WACA in Perth on Wednesday

Sri Lanka lost their first wicket at the score of 12 after skipper Mahela Jayawardene elected to bat against India in the second one-dayer.

Tharanga edged Zaheer Khan’s delivery straight into the hands of Sachin Tendulkar at first slip.

Virender Sehwag, who had been rested from the first game in order to play Rohit Sharma, returned to the final XI. Sehwag replaced Gautam Gambhir who has been rested for the second ODI.

Veteran pacer Zaheer Khan, who missed out the opening match like Sehwag, also made his way back into the team as he replaced injured Rahul Sharma.

The Sri Lankans went with five fast bowlers – Dhammika Prasad, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Thisara Perera and Angelo Matthews – on a pitch which already has cracks.

In Australia, the two teams have clashed five times and India have an advantage of 2-1 over their southern neighbours, with two matches finishing with no result.

India still feel the pain of their last visit to WACA last month when they lost the third Test to Australia in two and a half days by an innings margin.

It’s a record at this venue though isn’t too bad. It has won three games and lost five matches since 1980 when it first played New Zealand in a triangular and won by five runs.

The fast outfield and less-than a steeping bounce enables big scores to be managed at this ground.

Five wins each in the last 10 ODIs between the two sides might suggest an even battle between two sub-continental teams but ever so quietly, the young brigade has begun to make headlines for Sri Lanka in the last few months.